College: Arts and Sciences
Degree: BS
Specialized Admission: No
Address: 406 Dirac Science Library Tallahassee, FL 32306-4120
Phone: (850) 644-0143
Email: kgfowler@fsu.edu
*Please Note: Face-to-face/in-person instruction of this program is available ONLY at the main campus in Tallahassee, FL. This program is NOT available via Online/Distance Learning.*
Computational Science is the emerging discipline that provides the tools necessary to solve natural and social science and engineering problems on computers, much the same as mathematics provides the underpinning for theoretical solutions. Graduates of the Computational Science program will be prepared for employment in industry and government laboratories as well as for entry into graduate schools. The skill and knowledge sets acquired by students in this program compliment those of scientists and engineers so that, as part of interdisciplinary teams, those students are ideally positioned to help solve science and engineering problems using computers.
* Note to prospective transfer students. Prospective transfer students should contact as-admissions@fsu.edu (Arts & Sciences Admissions) with specific questions about admission and mapping requirements.
The following are proposed as common program prerequisites:
MAC 2311 (4) Calculus I
MAC 2312 (4) Calculus II
ISC 3313 (3) Introduction to Scientific Computing or COP 3014 Programming I or COP XXXX (3) Introductory Programming (in C or C++, JAVA or equivalent language or other approved programming course).
Science with lab (4) A laboratory-based science course designed for science majors (BSC XXXXc, CHM XXXXc, GLY XXXXc, MET XXXXc, or PHY XXXXc), or other courses approved by the department.
Note: State-wide common prerequisites are always under review. For the most current information and for acceptable alternative courses, visit the “Common Prerequisites Manual.” This is available from the “Student Services” section of http://www.flvc.org or directly at https://dlss.flvc.org/admin-tools/common-prerequisites-manuals .
Requirements for graduation in the College of Arts and Sciences:
The College of Arts and Science requires proficiency in a foreign language through the intermediate (2220 or equivalent) level or sign language through the advanced (2614 or equivalent) level.
Requirements for Progression to the Upper-Division Major:
Students must also have completed a minimum of 52 hours of credit and at least half the required hours in General Education including the required two English and two mathematics courses, or an A.A degree
Academic Performance
A grade of “C minus“ or better is required in all courses required for the BS Degree in Computational Science.
All State Common Program Prerequisites listed as Term 1-4 Milestones must be completed with a “C” range (C minus, C, or C+) grade or better. Students earning less than the necessary grade in any of these courses will be required to retake those courses until the standard is met.
Note: retaking a course may delay graduation and incur increased fee liability (i.e., repeat course surcharge and excess credit surcharge).
A student who has received more than five unsatisfactory grades (U, F, D minus, D, D+) in courses required for the major, excluding the Term 1-4 State Common Prerequisites milestone courses, taken after enrolling at FSU, will not be permitted to graduate with a degree in Computational Science.
Major Program of Studies at FSU: (54 hours)
All of the following: (30 hours)
ISC 3222 (3) Symbolic and Numerical Computations
ISC 4304 (4) Programming for Scientific Applications
ISC 4220 (4) Continuous Algorithms for Science Applications
ISC 4221 (4) Discrete Algorithms for Science Applications
ISC 4223 (4) Computational Methods for Discrete Problems
ISC 4232 (4) Computational Methods for Continuous Problems
MAS 3105 (4) Applied Linear Algebra I
Approved statistics course designed for statistics majors: STA 3XXX (3) or STA 4XXX (3)
Seminar classes (3 hours)
Three seminars are required: specialized topics and/or new developments in computational sciences.
ISC 4931 (1,1) Junior Seminar in Computational Science
ISC 4932 (1) Senior Seminar in Computational Science
Practicum (3 hours)
ISC 4943 (3) Practicum in Computational Science
Electives (18 hours)
9 hours of computational science courses selected from an approved list.
9 hours of additional STEM electives from the Department of Scientific Computing or other appropriate department at the 3000/4000 level or from approved list. Students should consult the academic advisor regarding the selection of electives.
Collateral Courses: (26 hours)
The following courses are required. These may also be used to satisfy prerequisites, General Education or minor requirements.
* ISC 3313 (3) Introduction to Scientific Computing or COP XXXX (3) Programming course
* MAC 2311 (4) Calculus I
* MAC 2312 (4) Calculus II
* Two laboratory-based science courses (8 hrs) designed for science majors: BSC, CHM, GLY, MET, or PHY.
Minor: (0-12+ hours beyond other requirements)
A minor is required. If not also used to meet the General Education mathematics requirement, the required collateral courses MAC 2311, MAC 2312, and MAS 3105 will satisfy the requirements for a minor in mathematics. The student may select another minor in consultation with the program advisor.
Digital Literacy: (0 hours beyond other requirements)
ISC 3313 Introduction to Scientific Computing or COP 3014 Programming I fulfills this requirement for the major.
Oral Communication Competency: (0-3 credits hours)
Students must demonstrate the ability to orally transmit ideas and information clearly. This requirement may be met with an approved college-level course.
Minimum Program Requirements Summary
Total Hrs. Required 120
General Education 36*
Prerequisite Coursework 15* (also count for collateral coursework)
Major Coursework 54
Collateral Coursework 26*
Minor Coursework 0-12 or more*
Foreign Language 0-12 (depending on placement)
Digital Literacy 0 beyond major
Oral Communication Competency 0-3
Electives to bring total hours to 120
*Note: Some prerequisite and/or collateral coursework may also be applied to General Education requirements in math and science or the minor.
Mapping is FSU’s academic advising and monitoring system. Academic progress is monitored each Fall and Spring semester to ensure that students are on course to earn their degree in a timely fashion. Transfer students must meet mapping guidelines to be accepted into their majors. You may view the map for this major at www.academic-guide.fsu.edu/.
1. A minimum of 45 hours at the 3000 level or above, 30 of which must be taken at this University.
2. Half of the major course semester hours must be completed in residence at this University.
3. The final 30 hours must be completed in residence at this University.
Salary Information: For more information go to: National Association of Colleges and Employers (www.naceweb.org) or the Occupational Outlook Handbook (www.bls.gov/ooh/home.htm) provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Representative Job Titles Related to this Major: Baccalaureate level: computational scientist, computer center consultant, graduate student, programmer, computer modeler. Master of Science level: computational scientist, computer center consultant, Ph.D student, programmer, software engineer, computer modeler. With a Ph.D: computational scientist, professor, postdoctoral associate, research scientist, research associate, computer modeler, research group leader.
Representative Employers: Universities and college computer centers, government and private research laboratories, manufacturing and service businesses, industry, state and federal government agencies.
ACADEMIC MAP (Effective Summer 2025 and after)
*Please Note: Face-to-face/in-person instruction of this program is available ONLY at the main campus in Tallahassee, FL. This program is NOT available via Online/Distance Learning.*
This map is a term-by-term sample course schedule. The milestones listed to the right of each term are designed to keep you on course to graduate in four years. The Sample Schedule serves as a general guideline to help you build a full schedule each term. The General Education and Elective courses must be selected to satisfy all area and multicultural requirements unless your program meets these requirements with major courses. Milestones are courses and special requirements necessary for timely progress to complete a major. Missing milestones will result in one of two types of map registration stops. The first level (Degree Map Off-track) is placed following grade posting if the student has missed a milestone (course and/or GPA) for the first time in the major. If a student is in non-compliance with milestones for two (2) consecutive semesters (excluding summers), a Major Change Required stop is placed on the student's registration.
Computational Science is the emerging discipline that provides the tools necessary to solve natural and social science and engineering problems on computers, much the same as mathematics provides the underpinning for theoretical solutions. Graduates of the Computational Science program will be prepared for employment in industry and government laboratories as well as for entry into graduate schools. The skill and knowledge sets acquired by students in this program complement those of scientists and engineers so that, as part of interdisciplinary teams, those students are ideally positioned to help solve science and engineering problems using computers.
The Computational Science major works best if you start with MAC2311 Calculus I in term 1. If you start the major in a class lower than MAC2311, you should plan on taking math courses over the summer to get back on course to graduate in four years. If you begin FSU with earned credit for College Algebra, you should take MAC1140 and MAC1114 during term 1. Students must maintain a 2.00 GPA to remain in good standing in the major.
Mapping Coordinator: Shellie Camp
Email: scamp@fsu.edu
Sample Schedule and Required Milestones by Term
| Sample Schedule: Term 1 hrs |
| ENC1101 Freshman Composition3 |
| MAC2311 Calculus with Analytic Geometry I4 |
| GE Core Social Science3 |
| GE Natural Science3 |
| Required Milestones: Term 1 |
| Complete ENC1101 ( ≥ C minus ) |
| Complete 1st GE Mathematics ( ≥ C minus ) |
| Sample Schedule: Term 2 hrs |
| ENC2135 Research, Genre, and Context 3 |
| MAC2312 Calculus with Analytic Geometry II4 |
| GE Core Humanities/Cultural Practice6 |
| GE Social Science3 |
| Required Milestones: Term 2 |
| Complete ENC2135 ( ≥ C minus ) |
| Complete 2nd GE Mathematics Course ( ≥ C minus ) |
| Sample Schedule: Term 3 hrs |
| ISC3313 Introduction to Scientific Computing or approved programming course3 |
| GE Core Natural Science with Lab4 |
| GE History3 |
| Foreign Language I or Electives4 |
| Required Milestones: Term 3 |
| Complete MAC2311 ( ≥ C minus ) |
| Complete Science/Lab for science majors ( ≥ C minus in each) |
| Sample Schedule: Term 4 hrs |
| Science/Lab for Science Majors4 |
| Foreign Language II or electives4 |
| GE Humanities/Cultural Practice3 |
| GE Ethics3 |
| Required Milestones: Term 4 |
| Complete MAC2312 ( ≥ C minus ) |
| Complete ISC3313 or Approved Programming Course ( ≥ C minus ) |
| Sample Schedule: Term 5 hrs |
| ISC3222 Symbolic and Numerical Computations3 |
| ISC4221c Discrete Algorithms for Science Applications 4 |
| ISC4931 Junior Seminar in Computational Science1 |
| MAS3105 Applied Linear Algebra4 |
| Foreign Language III or Elective3/4 |
| Required Milestones: Term 5 |
| Complete MAS3105 ( ≥ C minus ) |
| Complete ISC3222 ( ≥ C minus ) |
| Complete ISC4221c ( ≥ C minus ) |
| Civic Literacy requirement |
| Overall GPA of at least 2.00 |
| Sample Schedule: Term 6 hrs |
| ISC4220c Continuous Algorithms for Science Applications4 |
| ISC4304 Programming for Scientific Applications4 |
| ISC4931 Junior Seminar in Computational Science1 |
| Approved Statistics Course3 |
| Oral Communication Competency3 |
| Required Milestones: Term 6 |
| Complete ISC4220c ( ≥ C minus ) |
| Complete ISC4304 ( ≥ C minus ) |
| Overall GPA at least 2.00 |
| Sample Schedule: Term 7 hrs |
| ISC4223 Computational Methods for Discrete Problems4 |
| ISC4232 Computational Methods for Continuous Problems4 |
| ISC4932 Senior Seminar in Computational Science1 |
| Computational Science Elective3 |
| Elective or DIS3 |
| Required Milestones: Term 7 |
| Apply for Graduation Check |
| Overall GPA at least 2.00 |
| Sample Schedule: Term 8 hrs |
| ISC4943 Practicum in Computational Science3 |
| Computational Science Elective3 |
| Electives and DIS9 |
| Required Milestones: Term 8 |
| Apply for Graduation in 1st two weeks |
| All Major Requirements Completed: ISC4223, ISC4232, ISC4943 ( ≥ C minus in each) |
| Overall GPA at least 2.00 |